Today, we are giving you five ways to extend the life of your site.
But...
...before we get into it. Let's start with this question:
How long does a typical website last today?
Have a look...
The Lifespan of an Average Website
According to a recent Forbes article, the average website lifespan says, "the average lifespan of a website is 2 years and 7 months. While this timeframe can give you some basic guidance, it isn’t a hard and fast rule for all organizations."Orbit Media says, "the average website lifespan for top marketing brands is 2 years and 1 month."
A Perplexity search similarly says, "the average lifespan of a website typically ranges from 2 years, 1 month to 2 years, 7 months."
Three different sources with roughly the same answers: ~ two and a half years. That’s not very long. Despite the short timeframe, there are a few ways you can work to extend the life of your website.
1. Keep Your Website Content Fresh
One of the easiest things to do is keep your content up to date. It doesn’t send a compelling message to your prospects when they get to your site and there are old, outdated pictures or the most recent blog post is from 2020.Instead:
- Regularly update your blog, product pages, and testimonials to keep visitors engaged.
- Ensure content aligns with current SEO best practices for improved ranking.
- Use tools like Google Analytics to identify outdated pages.
2. Prioritize Website Speed and Performance
If traffic to your site is on the decline – site speed and performance might be the factor. This holds true for desktop and mobile. A slow site = customers bounce. Additionally, slow load times impact your Google rankings.Lower rankings = less traffic = less business.
Here are a few steps to take to ensure speed and performance:
- Optimize images and minimize file sizes.
- Get rid of unnecessary plugins.
- Use a reliable hosting provider to handle traffic spikes.
- Run periodic speed tests with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights
3. Stay on Top of Security Updates
Every site needs regular checkups – especially around security. One hack and you could be out a lot. Even a small hack can cause your site to be down or out of commission for an extended period. Not good.Staying on top of your site security will extend the life of your site…AND prevent major issues that could hurt your business in a big way.
Here are three steps you can take to stay on top of your site security:
- Regularly update CMS platforms like WordPress and plugins.
- Enable SSL certificates to build trust and boost SEO.
- Monitor for malware with security plugins (e.g., Sucuri or Wordfence).
4. Invest in Mobile Optimization
This may seem like a no-brainer – but it’s also a good reminder that we live in a mobile first world. So, make sure your site is optimized for mobile devices.
A site optimized for mobile provides an improved user experience and longer engagement on the site. It helps with your site rankings. Google prioritizes mobile. And it can be a distinct competitive advantage.
Below are three ways to optimize your site for mobile.
- Make your website mobile-friendly by implementing responsive design.
- Test usability with tools like Google Mobile-Friendly Test.
- Focus on touch-friendly navigation and fast mobile load times.
5. Plan for Routine Refreshes
We’ve all been to those sites, as soon as the page loads it looks like something from another era. What kind of messaging is that sending to your customers and prospects?If you want to get as much life as you can from your site, you need to schedule regular updates.
Here are a few things to think about to keep your site humming along:
- Keep up-to-date with web design to align with current trends.
- Focus on improving the user experience (UX) and navigation.
- Monitor competitors’ websites for inspiration and market trends.
Takeaways
Building a new website takes a lot of time and is an investment. So, maximize your investment by committing to regularly scheduled maintenance.At Ascedia, we handle site maintenance for a number of our clients. If this is something you want to talk more about – let’s connect.
